Golf swing practice device

ABSTRACT

A golf swing practice device having a ball simulating portion formed in a generally flat member to provide an aiming point as the golfer practices his golf swings. The flat member may be made of transparent plastic material and may be seated in a recess in the ground. The ball simulating member has a contrasting color, a diameter equal to the diameter of a golf ball and may take the form of a disc fitted into an upper surface of the flat member, an embedded sphere viewable through the transparent plastic material, or the upper flat end surface of a cone-shaped member whose lower pointed end passes through the flat member and anchors same to the ground.

United States Patent 1 Barney et al.

[ 51 Jan.2,1973

[54] GOLF SWING PRACTICE DEVICE [76] Inventors: Trentis E. Barney, 1719 Madrone Avenue; Alexander Jay Clark, 1725 Madrone Avenue, both of West Sacramento, Calif. 95691 22 Filed: Nov.11,1971

21 Appl. No.: 197,652

52 U.S.Cl. ..273/l96,l61/5,161/l8, l61/l6,52/104 511 Int.Cl. ..A63b 69/36 [58] Field of Search ..273/l83, 195, 199, 200, 186, 273/191,192,177,178,196, 51, 32, 35, 187; 161/5, 16, 18; 52/104, 306, 315

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 851,573 4/1907 Tyc et a] ..52/3l5 949,155 2/1910 Mrazek ..l6l/5 X 1,637,339 8/1927 Glennon et al. ..273/l83 A X 1,753,654 4/1930 Hanson ..273/196 Johnson ..273/195 R X 2,375,663 5/1945 Kennedy ..273/51 2,917,856 12/1959 Soloff ..161/18 3,288,618 11/1966 DeVries ..l6l/5 X 3,330,079 7/1967 Mitchell et al ..l61/l8 UX Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Attorney-Alexander B. Blair [57] ABSTRACT A golf swing practice device having a ball simulating portion formed in a generally flat member to provide 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures GOLF SWING PRACTICE DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to golf swing practice devices of the type which simulate a golf ball.

2. Summary of the Invention A golf swing practice device consisting of a flat sheet simulating the ground having a simulated golf ball painted thereon, embedded therein or embedded in transparent plastic.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a golf swing practice device in which a golf ball simulating member is formed on a flat mat to provide an aiming point for the golf swing.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a golf swing practice device having a flat simulated golf ball forming a part thereof.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of another modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of still another modified form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a golf practice device constructed in accordance with the invention.

The golf practice device 10 includes a generally rectangular plastic sheet 11 having a bore 12 formed centrally thereof. A disk 13 is seated in the bore 12 and has a color similar to that of a golf wall and has a diameter equal to the maximum diameter of a golf ball so as to simulate a golf ball when the golfer desiring practice looks downwardly thereon.

The sheet 11 is formed of plastic or other suitable material and the disk 13 is formed of a plastic having a color contrasting to that of the color of the sheet 11. The disk 13 is glued or otherwise sealed into the bore 12 to prevent its removal therefrom.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 a modified golf swing practice device is illustrated generally at 20. The practice device 20 includes a generally rectangular block 21 formed of transparent plastic and having a thickness somewhat greater than the block 11 of the preferred form of the invention.

A sphere 22 is embedded in the transparent plastic block 21 centrally thereof to simulate a golf ball on the surface of the block 21. The block 21 is seated in a recess 23 in the ground 24 so that the upper surface of the block 21 is closely ad'aqent the upper surface of the ground 24. The sphere 2 simulates a golf ball WIllCh IS visible due to the transparency of the member 11.

In the use and operation of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 golf practice swings are taken across the block 21 with the sphere 22 simulating a golf ball and simultaneously forming an aiming point for the golf practice stroke.

Referring now to FIG. 5 a further modified form of golf practice device is illustrated generally at 30. The golf swing practice device 30 includes a generally rectangular plastic block 31 embedded in a recess 32 in the ground 33. A plastic disk 34 is seated in a circular recess 35 formed in the upper surface of the block 31 and a bore 36 somewhat smaller than the recess 35 opens from the recess 35 through the bottom of the block 31 to provide an opening through which said disk 34 can be forced from the block 31 for replacement. A plurality of pins 37 extend from the bottom of the block 31 to provide an anchor for the block 31 with the ground 33.

Referring now to FIG. 6 a modified form of golf swing practice device is illustrated generally at 40.

The golf swing practice device 40 includes a block 41 formed of plastic and seated in a recess 42 in the ground 43. A tapered bore 44 extends completely through the block 40 and has its largest end up. A generally conical plug 45 is seated in the tapered bore 44 and has a portion 46 which extends below the block 41 to anchor the block 41 in the ground 43. The plug 45 is formed of plastic of a color contrasting with the color of the block 41 and simulates a golf ball when viewed from above.

The disk 34 is also of a contrasting color to the block 31 and has a size to simulate a golf ball when viewed from above.

The blocks 11, 21, 31 and 41 are each formed of plastic material and may be transparent or colored in any desired color. The disk 13, sphere 22, disk 34 and plug 45 each has a circular cross section equal to the diameter of a golf ball and is colored to simulate a golf ball contrasting in color to their respective block.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A golf swing practice device comprising a supporting member including a recess in the upper surface thereof, said supporting member being adapted to support a golfer while executing practice swings thereon with a golf club, a block of transparent plastic material seated in said recess, the upper surface of said block being closely adjacent the upper surface of said supporting member, a sphere embedded in said transparent block, said sphere having a diameter equal to the diameter of a golf ball and a color contrasting with that of said block, whereby said sphere provides a visible simulated golf ball during said practice swings. 

1. A golf swing practice device comprising a supporting member including a recess in the upper surface thereof, said supporting member being adapted to support a golfer while executing practice swings thereon with a golf club, a block of transparent plastic material seated in said recess, the upper surface of said block being closely adjacent the upper surface of said supporting member, a sphere embedded in said transparent block, said sphere having a diameter equal to the diameter of a golf ball and a color contrasting with that of said block, whereby said sphere provides a visible simulated golf ball during said practice swings. 